Loralee Czuchna: The Second Wife of Don Knotts
Don Knotts was a legendary comedian and actor who made millions of people laugh with his roles as Barney Fife on The Andy Griffith Show and Ralph Furley on Three’s Company.
But behind the scenes, he had a complicated personal life that involved three marriages and two divorces.
In this article, we will focus on his second wife, Loralee Czuchna, who was with him for nine years.
Who is Loralee Czuchna?
Loralee Czuchna is an American actress who appeared in a few films and TV shows in the 1970s and 1980s.
She is best known for her role as Lady on Jury in the 1976 crime drama The Electric Chair.
Loralee Czuchna also had guest appearances on shows like :
- The Streets of San Francisco
- The Rockford Files
- Barnaby Jones.
She met Don Knotts in 1973 when they were both working on a TV movie called The Girl Most Likely to…
How did Loralee Czuchna and Don Knotts get married?
Loralee Czuchna and Don Knotts got married on October 12, 1974, in Los Angeles.
It was the second marriage for both of them.
Knotts had divorced his first wife, Kathryn Metz, in 1964 after 17 years of marriage and two children, Thomas and Karen.
Czuchna had also been married before, but the details of her first marriage are not publicly known.
What was their marriage like?
According to some sources, Loralee Czuchna and Don Knotts had a happy marriage for the first few years.
They enjoyed traveling together and attending Hollywood events.
They also supported each other’s careers and appeared in some projects together, such as the 1978 comedy film Hot Lead and Cold Feet.
However, their marriage started to deteriorate in the early 1980s due to several factors.
One of them was Knotts’ health issues, which included:
- high blood pressure
- anxiety
- macular degeneration
He became obsessed with his vision loss and feared going blind.
He also suffered from depression and low self-esteem, which affected his mood and behavior.
Another factor was their age difference.
Czuchna was about 20 years younger than Knotts, and she wanted to have children with him.
But Knotts was reluctant to become a father again at his age.
He also felt insecure about his appearance and his ability to satisfy his younger wife.
He reportedly had plastic surgery to look younger and took Viagra to boost his performance.
The final factor was their career differences.
Czuchna wanted to pursue more acting opportunities, while Knotts wanted to retire from show business and live a quiet life.
They also had different tastes in entertainment and hobbies.
Czuchna liked to go out and socialize, while Knotts preferred to stay home and watch TV or read books.
How did they get divorced?
Loralee Czuchna and Don Knotts decided to end their marriage in 1983 after nine years together.
They filed for divorce on September 22, 1983, citing irreconcilable differences.
Loralee Czuchna and Don Knotts did not have any children together, so their divorce was relatively simple and amicable.
They agreed to split their assets evenly and remained friends after their separation.
What happened to them after their divorce?
Loralee Czuchna continued to act sporadically after her divorce from Don Knotts.
She appeared in a few more TV shows, such as:
- Murder
- She Wrote
- Simon & Simon
- Matlock (which starred Knotts’ former co-star Andy Griffith).
Loralee also worked as a production assistant on some films, such as:
- The Last Boy Scout
- The Bodyguard
She has not acted since 1992 and has kept a low profile since then.
Her current whereabouts and relationship status are unknown.
Don Knotts remarried for the third time in 2002 to Frances Yarborough, another actress who had appeared in The Electric Chair with him and Czuchna.
They were married until his death in 2006 from lung cancer at the age of 81.
He was survived by his wife, his two children from his first marriage and his four grandchildren.
He is remembered as one of the greatest comedians of all time and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Conclusion
Loralee Czuchna was the second wife of Don Knotts, who was famous for his roles as Barney Fife on The Andy Griffith Show and Ralph Furley on Three’s Company.
They were married for nine years from 1974 to 1983, but their marriage fell apart due to various issues such as health problems, age difference, career goals, and personal preferences.
They divorced amicably and remained friends until his death in 2006.
Czuchna is a former actress who has not been in the public eye for decades, while Knotts is a comedy legend who is still loved and admired by millions of fans.
If you found this article impressive follow for more on our blog posts as sampled below:
- How old is Salish Matter?
- Ashley Judd Net Worth: How Much Is The Actress And Activist Worth?
- Kori Madison Federline Siblings and Family on Instagram
- Seven Sirius Benjamin: The Music Legend’s Son Who Shuns the Limelight
